Key facts
- Colombia's foreign ministry said it spoke with Venezuela's government to coordinate efforts to rescue Nancy Gomez.
- Colombian authorities believe Gomez was kidnapped on November 11 and taken into Venezuela to evade Colombian law enforcement.
- President Abelardo De La Espriella deployed military troops to the area and said the ELN was believed behind the kidnapping.
- Venezuela's foreign ministry said the government is fully willing to carry out all necessary coordination with Colombia on security.
- Defense Minister Jorge Eduardo Mora said Colombia asked the US to work with Venezuela to help find the kidnapped officer.
- Colombia has previously accused Venezuela of harboring FARC and ELN rebels, charges Caracas has repeatedly denied.
The governments of Colombia and Venezuela said on November 12 they are willing to coordinate security efforts to combat transnational crime, after two high-profile kidnappings along their 2,219-kilometer shared border.
Colombia is seeking Venezuelan help locating Nancy Gomez, the wife of the mayor of Uribia, in the northern department of La Guajira, about 30 km (19 miles) from the Venezuelan border. Colombia's foreign ministry said it spoke with Venezuela's government "to coordinate efforts to rescue" her. Colombian authorities believe she was kidnapped on November 11 and taken into Venezuela in an attempt to evade Colombian law enforcement.
Colombian President Abelardo De La Espriella deployed military troops to the area to aid the search for Gomez and said the ELN armed group was believed to be behind her kidnapping. On November 4, a Colombian army officer was kidnapped by the ELN in the town of Saravena, in the border state of Arauca, Colombian authorities said.
Venezuela's foreign ministry said in a statement that the government is "fully willing to carry out all necessary coordination" with Colombian authorities on security matters.
Colombian Defense Minister Jorge Eduardo Mora said on November 11 that Colombia had asked the US to work with Venezuela to help find the kidnapped officer. "We are hoping that with this transition happening in Venezuela, there will be cooperation," Mora said.